Are You Sure It's Candy?
by BadKittytheNekoYokai
Summary: Given Gikongai by mistake a tall American girl learns to be a Soul Reaper as well as that sometimes to protect the ones you love one must embrace the darkness of his or her heart.  Rated M mostly because the big four curses will be dropped.
1. Soul Candy

**Are You Sure It's Candy?**

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Tengo nada! If I did Randomness would rule the world! Got it memorized? *Queue evil laughter*****

Chapter 1: Soul Candy

Our story begins with a giant red haired eighteen-year-old girl, okay only six feet tall, who is shopping in a local bookstore that is stocked to the brim with manga and pocky. She was wearing a simple Kingdom Hearts fitted tee and somewhat tight flare jeans as she ambled through the store having already purchased various books, her hair swishing merrily behind her. That is until she saw the deliveryman wheeling in boxes with the highly identifiable Bleach title and a picture of Chappy the bunny.

She quickly turned to the employee, who was signing for the delivery, "Is today delivery day, or is this special order?"

The middle aged employee shook his head, "No, just a special gift for all our best customers." Deftly he took his key ring from his pocket and slashed open the box revealing several-stacked pink bunny like PEZ dispensers.

"Oh my dear Bahamut, are those Chappy gikongai?" The red head almost squealed with excitement.

"Yep, also brand new products in Japan too, are you a regular customer?"

She smirked broadly, "You can bet Ifrit's Hellfire that I am!"

The employee smiled, and pulling out a list of names asked nicely, "Then may I ask who you are?"

"Theresa Howl, at your service," Theresa answered with a bow.

Giving another smile the employee began searching the list muttering her name, "Ah here it is, in spot number one no less!" He then pulled out the first Chappy in the top row, right to left of course, and handed it to a barely controlled Theresa, "The first Chappy to our best of the best customer."

Theresa looked at him, "Nut up or shut up. THE best?"

"According to management you are, and if you'll excuse me I need to take these in." The employee said rolling the dolly inside the door.

Theresa looked at the candy in her hands as a dark idea blossomed in her mind, "Time to decapitate the bunny!" Moments later, she succeeded in opening up the tube, having to remove Chappy's head in the process, revealing the minty green orbs inside. Pulling one out slowly she took a delicate sniff only to be surprised by the peppermint flavor. "Yesness! Watashi wa peppermint wo ai! (I love peppermint!)" She responded happily before popping the orb in her mouth, and skipping down the sidewalk to her car.

She only made it four rows into the parking lot before a passerby slammed into her making her swallow the orb in the process. Quickly she turned to face who ever had bumped into her and yelled, "Watch where you're walking baka!" Before she realized that, she was standing in front of herself.


	2. Give Me Back My Body!

Chapter 2: Give Me Back My Body!

Theresa slammed her hand on her forehead trying to clear up her vision, but one sore hand and a forehead as red as her hair later the her in front of her would not go away. Then everything clicked, she had swallowed a gikongai thus evicting her soul from her body, and inserting a proxy soul. Needless to say, she yelled the first thing on her mind, "Give me back my body!" Much to her dismay, and irony for it reminded her of Kon; her body turned tail and ran away from her. Theresa went to take the first step to chase her wayward body only to find the ground rushing up to meet her face to face.

Time flew, as Theresa laid face down on the parking lot. Suddenly a comforting presence brought the teen around. "Oh, so you're finally awake? That's good; I was getting tired of only being free when you're unconscious."

Theresa wiping the dirt off her face muttered, "Who's there?"

"You know who." The voice responded sounding more familiar to Theresa by the minute.

Theresa finally looked up at who was speaking to her only to see a mass of red and black, which triggered her memory of whom this person was. "Axel-kun! Dear Bahamut, I must be going crazy I just saw myself run away from me, and now I'm talking to a videogame character."

Axel rolled his eyes at his wielder, and turning towards her took on the mentor role. "You were given an actual gikongai, not the candy you were expecting. I'm also not just some hallucination; I'm your zanpaku-to."

Theresa took everything in; nothing would surprise her at this point, but stopped there, "Wait! Wait, I can't have a zanpaku-to I don't have any form of spiritual awareness, pressure, or even been attacked by a hollow! Plus, why would my zanpaku-to take on the form of a videogame character, when I was born way before the games were even thought of!"

Axel sighed, this was going to take longer than he thought, "You had spiritual awareness when you were a toddler, which you obviously don't remember, but I began hiding it away when you started attracting hollows. During that time, I did not have a form only awareness, and I remained that way until you started playing _Kingdom Hearts_. Your inner-world began to change and mature at that point, and this is the form that was given to me." Theresa nodded in understanding, and Axel continued on, "So, now that we're acquainted you need to get your body back. I'll teach you what you need to know when and if you need to know it, other than that you should be able to handle my shikai with no problems just copy the games." Axel stopped and thought for a moment, before continuing on, "It'll probably go to the house, which means I'll have to teach you how to shunpo. Man, do I hate baby-sitting."

Theresa stifled her glare at her zanpaku-to, as Axel scratched the back of his head before disappearing. "Hey! How're you teaching me to shunpo when you aren't here anymore!" Theresa yelled into empty space feeling very tired.


	3. Darkness Can and Will Overtake You

Darkness Can and Will Overtake You

Theresa lowered herself onto the grassy divider in the parking lot before darkness came for her this time, though she was just really tired this time. She slowly drifted into darkness on the slightly hard grass.

"You finally arrived." A familiar voice commented.

Theresa slowly sat up remarking sarcastically, "You are so great at wake up calls Axel-kun. Can you do this for me every day?"

Axel gave a brief laugh, "Not gonna happen. Anyway, welcome to the World That Never Was."

Theresa took a good look around the room, and immediately her right eye began to twitch, "You pervert, I'm in your room. Bahamut! My zanpaku-to is a pervert that has a thing for me!"

"Urusai! (Shut up!) I'm not one, and if you'll hurry up you have a shunpo lesson to attend. Otherwise, I'm sure that you'll enjoy walking home in hollow infested territory." Axel retorted, looking slightly offended, which must've been hard for a Nobody.

Theresa shot up, excited to see the World That Never Was up close and personal, not to mention she did not want to walk the ten plus miles to her home to try to find her body. Axel shook his head leading the way out of the castle, through Deep Dive City, and walking through the portal he opened to allow Sora into the world.

Axel stood proudly in the Betwixt and Between, and turning to his wielder said brightly, "Welcome to Betwixt and Between, and to shunpo just focus your spiritual pressure to your feet and where you want to go. Just remember if you don't start moving the darkness will overtake you, and that would not be pretty."

Theresa was shocked as she stared at her zanpaku-to, "W-w-what?"

A snapping of fingers turned her attention to the creatures that just appeared behind Axel, Assassin Nobodies and they looked pissed. "Time to get movin'." Axel's happy-ish response prompted the Nobodies leapt into action chasing Theresa, who started running away like a bat out of hell.

Minutes later, Theresa was still running like hell, but was trying to calm down. "Okay think Zangetsu style, but still run away. Yea Gawds! What is Axel-kun thinking? Focus, it's time to save my butt. Just focus on where I want to go." Theresa thought before feeling a jerk similar to when the chain lift grabbed a roller coaster car, and heard Axel snap his fingers again.

"Good job, and you've covered a fair amount of distance." Axel commented while clapping.

Theresa looked at her zanpaku-to, almost living the scene from Twilight Town, remarked, "Alright, Theresa … fight, fight, fight. Am I right, Axel-kun?"

Rolling his eyes the spirit went to retort, but an earthquake stopped him after he opened his mouth. "Well, looks like your wish was granted. A hollow's nearby sniffing you out, so you better go take care of that."


	4. First Encounters of the Hollow Kind

The First Encounter of the Hollow Kind

_Italics will now represent the speaking of a zanpaku-to in sword form._

Theresa blacked out yet again, but this time immediately woke up to a gut-wrenching howl. Jumping to her feet, she was barely able to dodge the giant hand that came down upon her. "You picked a bad day to pick with me, dude. I'm up to my eyeballs in crazy shit, and you're just the icing on the cake!"

"_Have you killed it yet?"_

Theresa jumped at the disembodied voice of Axel, as a hand moved on an unknown instinct grabbed the sword hilt behind her head. "Axel?" Theresa shrieked wondering where his voice was coming from.

"_I'm the sword you currently have in your hand. Can't you remember anything from Bleach? Now, kill the hollow."_ Theresa briefly wondered if he could read her thoughts, but decided it wasn't the time when she dodged another attempt of the Minotaur like hollow. Drawing the blade that was as long as she was tall Theresa stared down the hollow trying to figure out how to change the blade into a weapon she knew to use, through imitation.

Instinctively she held the blade with both hands, flaming spiritual pressure erupting from the blade making it glow red hot, and commanded, "Dance in a flurry of flames, Axel!" Drawing her hands straight out to her sides Axel's Eternal Flames chakarms appeared, already flaming and ready to kill.

Raising her head from her chest Theresa flashed her version of Axel's smirk, and with an almost lazy spin launched both of the chakarms into the hollow easily slicing the bone white mask into fourths. Raising her hands to her sides the still flaming weapons came back to be easily caught with another twirl.

"_Good job. You'd be a member in the Organization with those skills, anyway just focus on the sword and they'll turn back into it."_

Theresa nodded, and with a brief thought of the sword only to be holding it again. With a quick swipe in the air to clean the blade, Theresa lowered the blade back into its sheathe before using a shunpo to begin the long trek home. Within three uses of shunpo Theresa reached her rural home, and jumping in an open window leading to the basement started to hunt her home for herself.


	5. Welcome to the Seireitei

Welcome to the Seireitei

**Bold until stated otherwise will represent someone speaking in Japanese that I'm currently unable to convey without insulting anyone.**

Theresa slumped down on her front step, exhausted from her shunpo run and for her extensive search, quietly remarked to herself, "Damn, where could that body thief have gone?"

"_You know talking to yourself is a sure sign of insanity, right?"_

Theresa scowled at her sword's voice drifting through her mind, "Well, how else am I supposed to talk you Axel-kun?"

"_Telepathy, remember I'm a representation of your soul, so we have a close bond."_

Theresa rolled her eyes and thought, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I never even knew I had this power until a few hours ago."

"_HEY! Don't roll your eyes at me rookie!"_ She rolled her eyes again just because she could, and laid back on her porch ready to take a nap.

Axel chose that moment to quote himself, _"I'd nap six times a day if they'd let me."_

Theresa thought back drowsy with sleep, "Well, when I'm done with this one, I'm gonna just roll over and take another one."

"_Sounds good to me."_ Theresa smiled hearing her zanpaku-to's agreement.

One nap later, making it about midnight for our hero, Theresa woke up stretching out her muscles from sleeping on the wood. She knew within a few minutes that her body had not come back because of her father's thunderous pacing from the living room that was clearly audible.

"_Does your father know when to be quiet?"_

Theresa went to retort to her sarcastic sword spirit, but stopped when she felt several pressures erupt in pleasure around her, too many to count. Taking preemptive measures she drew her partner, commanding, "Dance in a flurry of flames, Axel!"

The first hollow came to its death, and as Theresa twirled into a ground level attack a white light halted hungry spirits. She continued the attack causing the first hollow to disappear as two figures stepped out of the senkaimon, and giving her a passing glance joined the battle.

With a howl the hollows charged as the light faded, Theresa smirked at the lack of light, and ignited the Eternal Flames casting an orange light about battle field. She spun around the first attack, launching one chakarm that sliced through the attacking hollow as well as the one behind it. Theresa tried controlling how the weapon came back to her, and was surprised when it followed her idea slicing the arm off another hollow. Turning to catch the flying weapon, she sliced out with the other killing a hollow that was sneaking upon her.

Seeing the other Soul Reapers hack through more hollows Theresa thought of an attack of Axel's she always hated when playing Kingdom Hearts. She spun the blades faster, building the flames up higher and stronger, and threw. "Fire Tooth!" She yelled as the chakarms carved an extensive path through the enemies earning an appreciative grunt, leaving only a handful of hollows left to be cleaned up by the Soul Reapers.

Kenpachi Zaraki turned to see this Soul Reaper, who took out so many of the hollows with a single attack, and was surprised with just what he saw a woman nearly as tall as he was. "She could be fun…" Kenny commented to himself, then a male figure appeared possessively behind the woman, and before Kenny could blink his uncovered eye the man disappeared. Shrugging off the apparition Kenny focused on the woman holding the strange weapons, and in a superior officer voice barked out, **"Who the hell are you, and which Squad do you belong to?"**

Theresa looked at the giant, only able to recognize him by his unique hairstyle, and quickly remembering her online Japanese etiquette quickly bowed, sealing, and sheathing Axel, in the manner all non-captain shinigami did to a captain. "Zaraki-taicho! Howl Theresa desu." Panicking because that was the only thing she knew how to say to the giant captain, Theresa hoped he might understand her English. She was going out on a wing and a prayer. "I don't belong to a Squad. I just woke up my powers, and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing aside from killing the random hollow."

Kenny looked at this Theresa before him, she knew his name, but for some odd reason she changed what language she was speaking. He was dumbfounded as to what she said, and Yachiru chose that moment to add a comment, **"What did Flame-head say, Kenny?"**

Kenny cocked his head to his long time friend and lieutenant and grumbled back, **"No idea."**

Yachiru looked at the woman, and thinking of how she had prompted Captain Kyoraku to speak in foreign languages a few times came up with a brilliant idea, **"Kenny, how about we take her home with us? Shun-shun should be able to understand her."**

Contemplating for a moment, Kenny found that he agreed with Yachiru's idea, and without warning picked up the woman. **"I'm takin' you to the Seireitei."**

"**Yay! I'll get to play with Flame-head!" **It's very hard to get who said this wrong.

Theresa felt dizzy for a moment before she realized that Captain Zaraki had tucked her under his arm, and his hand was in a very private area. "Put me down! Rape!" She yelled, and seeing no reaction from the giant man began to struggle. With a yell of, "Baka Taicho!" Theresa's long leg curled back and hit Kenny in a similar very private area, with what he figured to be the power of a horse.

Yachiru was surprised to see Kenny barely flinch from the blow, and quickly got a better hold on his tattered hoari before he shook the pain off. The woman gave a slight yelp before Kenny's grip shifted from whatever had been making her yell, and all Yachiru could think of his how much fun Kenny would have with her. All that flashed through Kenny's mind was that her kick had hurt, he wanted to fight her, his hand had been in a very warm place, and he just couldn't wait to get back to the Seireitei. While Theresa was just happy that the large man's hand was no longer on her downstairs, and didn't even notice the opening of the senkaimon or their entry.

In fact, poor little Theresa didn't know where the giant man was going until she saw the gray tiled street, white walls, and orange tile roofs. Her first reaction was to mutter, "Dear Bahamut, I've been kidnapped, and taken halfway around the world, by the most blood thirsty and violent captain the Seireitei has ever seen."

Zaraki adjusted his grip, earning another yelp, and said back, **"Yeah, it's the Seireitei."** Theresa kicked the giant again in the groin because his hand had traveled up her torso, causing him to shift his hold again.


	6. Meeting the Captains

Meeting the Captains

All Theresa heard from her position under the giant's armpit were the alarms that had sounded in the anime when Ichigo had entered the Seireitei, and immediately assumed that it was all because of her being carried here by Kenpachi. She sighed, and quietly submitted to the fact that she might be killed.

"_You know, this could be bad."_

Theresa let a scowl cover her face and mentally remarked back to her zanpaku-to, "Oh, so now you speak, and even quote Final Fantasy X."

"_I've been trying to figure out what the two buffoons have been saying."_

Theresa rolled her eyes, "If you're a representation of me, then you don't understand a single thing they're saying because I sure don't."

"_I said I was trying, and you know you should really be paying more attention to where,"_ Theresa could almost see Axel sneer at the name, _"Kenpachi is taking you. Cause I'm sensing several enormous spiritual pressures, and they're all agitated."_

That got Theresa's attention as Kenny tromped through large doors with the kanji for one on the doors, and remarked to her partner, "Thanks for the warning, but it would have been better sooner."

Yamamoto banged his sealed zanpaku-to against the floor and barked out to Kenny, who was still holding Theresa that was as red as her hair, **"Captain Zaraki! What are you doing bringing a Ryoka into the Seireitei?"**

Zaraki shrugged his shoulders before dropping Theresa onto her hands and knees, and replied, **"I found this woman killing those hollows you sent me to get rid of. Hell, she even took out more than me."**

That got everyone talking, arguing, or what have you. Theresa being an opportunist took the chance to see the captains, and gain the knowledge of whether the plot of Bleach had happened yet. Ukitake was still alive, and quickly going past other captains that were not seriously hurt in the last battle stopped at the captain for the ninth. Kensei was back in his old position, and quickly jumping to the fifth found one very peeved Ichigo Kurosaki slouching obviously trying not to encourage a fight between him and Kenny. Skipping ahead to the third Theresa found one displeased Shinji Hirako glaring at her, but not as angrily as Soi fon, who looked very odd without her left arm.

"**What do you have to say?"** Yamamoto asked, making Theresa jump and retreat.

Panicking Theresa, bowed whacking her head on the floor, and did as everyone who is bilingual did when stressed and started blabbing in her native tongue. "I'm Theresa Howl, and this psycho piece of candy, which wasn't candy, ejected my soul from my body! And then these monsters started attacking and my sword turned out to be a videogame character, and I just want everything to go back to how it was!"

Shinji cleaned out his ear, and asked the other captains, utterly dumbfounded as to what the woman was saying, **"What is she sayin'?"**

Kenny growled out, **"That's why I brought her back here. She even knows who I am, and of the Seireitei."**

Byakuya looked over at the woman, who was hidden by her red hair, **"She could be a traitor that was sent into exile."**

"_You know I think Byakushi, has a thing against ya…"_

Theresa scoffed at Axel's comment, "You have no heart; how can you determine that?"

"_It's because of that; I can see emotions better than you."_

Ichigo Kurosaki turned to the Head-Captain, **"Head-Captain Yamamoto, I request permission to speak to the ryoka."**

Yamamoto nodded, knowing of the public school system and knowledge Ichigo had of the modern world, **"You may, Captain Kurosaki."**

Ichigo stepped forward, and hoping to appear less intimidating kneeled in front of the woman, "You speak English?"

That got Theresa's attention; she quickly sat up, and asked the Captain incredulously, "Where did you learn English? 'Cause your accent is thick as hell."

Ichigo, who was older than Theresa had seen in any part of Bleach and somewhere along the line decided to grow an orange goatee, responded angrily, "Not insult my English! Understand more than can say. Who you, and why here?"

Theresa shuddered at his horrible grammar, "First learn some verbs, secondly my name is Theresa Howl, or in Japanese Howl Theresa. I'm here because I was just trying to find my body, and then the groping Captain Psycho over there abducted and drug me through the senkaimon into the Seireitei." She responded, making sure to point to Kenpachi as she answered the questions.

Kenny noticing the accusing finger asked, **"Why is she pointing at me?"**

Ichigo holding back his laughter from what Theresa had called Kenpachi answered, **"Howl-san here said that she was trying to find her body when you kidnapped and groped her."**

Kenny coughed lightly before turning away from the looks the other captains were giving him. To everyone's surprise Kurotsuchi saved Kenny from the mental assault he was receiving, **"Am I the only one who sees how unreliable this method of communication is? I believe if I had two weeks to spend with the ryoka I could fashion a translator allowing us to know exactly what she is saying."**

Yamamoto sighed several captains were taking Captain Kurotsuchi's side, Captain Kurosaki was still speaking in the strange tongue with the ryoka, and a migraine was developing. Pounding the sealed Ryujinjakka on the floor silencing everyone in the room, Yamamoto said loudly, **"Captain Kurosaki, does the ryoka agree to helping Captain Kurotsuchi make this translator?"**

Ichigo nodded to the Head-Captain, "Howl-san, would you help Captain Kurotsuchi make translator?"

Theresa looked at the captain with the painted face, shuddered, and told the orange haired captain, "I ain't goin' in there alone. I want protection even if it is Captain Grope-Psycho." Ichigo nodded in understanding and informed the Head-Captain.

Yamamoto inwardly wondered how Howl knew that having a protector was a wise idea, but told his captains, **"Captain Kurotsuchi you may meet with Howl Theresa to make this translator, but Captain Kurosaki and Zaraki will alternate on being her escort. She will also be staying in Squad Eleven, which will provide necessities for her, since Captain Zaraki saw it fit to bring her here in the first place."** Zaraki and Kurosaki nodded in understanding, Kurosaki translating for the ryoka, and with her nodding her understanding, Yamamoto concluded the meeting. Theresa easily followed the giant out of the room to Squad Eleven, shocking all the other captains with how tall she was. **"Captain Kurosaki, why are you still here?"** Yamamoto asked the remaining captain, who was usually one of the first out of the room.

Ichigo sighed, **"Howl-san was saying that she had seen a book and a show about us, and that some stupid piece of pocky based off this book and show stole her body. She was very adamant about this, and every time I hinted that she might have hit her head she restated her previous statement."**

"**So you believe one of the remaining Vizards, or Kisuke Urahara, have been leaking our history to the World of the Living?"** Yamamoto replied, seeing where Kurosaki was going.

Ichigo shrugged, **"I not saying for sure or not, but once this translator is made we should see how much this "Bleach" is related to us."**


	7. Lunch and Hints

Lunch and Hints

Theresa was easily following the large captain through the winding roads between the squads. Zaraki was wondering where to put this woman since the woman's barracks had been remade into a second men's barrack when he took over the captaincy. Sure, he did have an empty apartment on the grounds, but that was for whoever beat Yumichika and made fourth seat, and he was told to watch out for her. That left only one place in Squad Eleven for her, in his home that he shared with Yachiru. He was oh so excited about that.

Theresa was keeping up with him, wondering where she would be staying, and how to use Axel when he was sealed. Smirking she sent out a tentative thought to her sword, "Yo Axel, what are your dimensions when you're sealed?"

"_I'm as tall as you are with just the blade, and another two feet with the hilt. Other than that I'm a normal katana shape, why're asking?"_

Theresa's smirk grew as she replied, "Oh, just trying to figure out how to use you when you're sealed."

"_You are not Sephiroth, and I will not be treated like Masamune."_

"C'mon! I promise to bathe you in the blood of Squad Eleven." Theresa said in a hope to appease her Nobody spirit.

"_I'm not bloodthirsty or a physical type zanpaku-to."_ Axel deadpanned.

"Oh right, Flurry of Dancing Flames. I just want you to remember I'm being sent into the most fearsome squad in the Gotei 13, and if I can't defend myself we'll be in a world of hurt."

Axel sighed, knowing he had been forced into a corner, _"Fine, but I won't like it."_

Theresa smiled and tucked her hands behind her back, "Don't worry I will train with the guys, I can't imitate video game characters for my protection." Suddenly, Theresa was pushed forward by a weight on her upper back.

"**Hi Flame-Head!"** Yachiru yelled adjusting herself onto the woman's shoulders.

Theresa was about to reply when Kenpachi told his lieutenant, **"She doesn't speak Japanese, Yachiru."**

"**She doesn't?"** Yachiru asked surprised that another language existed.

Theresa smiled the child-like lieutenant, "Hello Kusajishi-fukutaicho."

"**Yay! Flame-head knows my name!"** Yachiru happily exclaimed, right next to Theresa's ear. Flinching from the noise Theresa idly began to rub her ear.

"You can call me Howl-chan." Theresa told the younger girl, while pointing to herself, hoping she did not already have an embarrassing nickname.

"**But I like Flame-head better."** Yachiru said while pouting.

"**You have to remember Yachiru, America is vastly different than Japan."** Ichigo commented while appearing by shunpo, **"Even though she knows our customs very well."**

"And what are we up to, Kurosaki-taicho?" Theresa asked the carrot-topped captain.

"Working on schedule, Howl-san." Ichigo answered before turning to his war-buddy, **"I thought I would take Howl-san to Kurotsuchi-taicho tomorrow, and if you want I could help you in getting her set up."**

Kenpachi growled out, **"Thanks."**

Ichigo was about to comfort his friend when a loud growling sound was heard, shortly before Theresa punched herself in the stomach. Idly scratching the back of her head she commented, "Gomen, haven't eaten in about a day."

Ichigo relayed the message to Kenpachi before offering, **"There's a restaurant near here. I'll buy."**

Yachiru then jumped off Theresa's shoulders onto Ichigo's, **"Yay! Do I get to order for Flame-Head?"**

"**You can tell the waitress what she wants."** Ichigo answered as he used shunpo to stop near the intersection to the restaurant. Kenpachi went to grab Theresa but his hand met only air, and looking to where Kurosaki was only to see her standing next to an equally surprised Ichigo. Ichigo, who had seen the shunpo that nearly rivaled Yoruichi's, looked over to the foreigner, "Who taught shunpo?"

Theresa thinking that she was not as fast as she was pointed to the hilt of Axel answered, "Axel-kun taught me after that candy evicted my soul."

Ichigo looked incredulously at the woman, "Zanpaku-to taught you?"

"Yep, Axel-kun nearly killed me while doing it."

"_I wouldn't have killed you just ripped your heart out." _Axel commented as Ichigo was eyeing Axel's hilt.

"Last time I checked ripping out a heart will kill a person." Theresa told her zanpaku-to dryly.

"_Not unless you become a Heartless and a Nobody."_ Axel cheekily replied.

"Is that a Bankai hint?" Theresa asked Axel while following the two captains and the lieutenant to the restaurant.

"_It'll only count if you can sustain my manifestation for three days."_ Theresa shook off the picture she was getting of him smugly sitting in the meeting room.

Her train of thought hit a roadblock making it crash in a very fiery explosion, "Just how large is my inner world, because I didn't know that the Organization's meeting room would be there."

Axel laughed outright at his wielder's confusion, _"You pretty much copy and pasted the entirety of the World that Never Was, and updated it with Tetsuya Nomura's latest and greatest."_

"Really?" Theresa was surprised, and reaching the restaurant moved closer to the captains as several random unrecognizable Soul Reapers looked their way. "When do I get to play on speed hyper fangirl that is just touring the world?"

She received another picture of Axel pacing in front of his room's window, Kingdom Hearts glowing in the distance, _"I guess when you can defend yourself, I'll let you wander around whenever you want. Just watch out when you copied and pasted, you also brought along the Heartless and Nobodies."_

That made her choke on her water she had been sipping as she was looking over the menu, which made the other three look at her. She quickly pounded on her sternum to clear out the water, and asked, shocked, aloud, "Nunco?"

Ichigo looked at her, "What?"

Shaking her head Theresa replied, "Nothing. I'll take the teriyaki beef." Turning her attention to her zanpaku-to remarked, "Thank you for that, and I thought we were buddies."

"_We are, but I still enjoy freaking you out, just like you enjoy freaking others out."_

Theresa scoffed at his mocking tone, and muttered under her breath, "Stupid Nobody, pretending he has emotions."

Axel sent her an image of himself with his arms crossed over his chest, _"I can hear you."_ Theresa ignored the picture, and focused on the giant plates of food the waiters were carrying over. _"Oh, sure. Pay attention to the food not your teacher, er … sword. Holy hell is that your plate?"_ Theresa looked at the giant plate of fried rice, vegetables, and sautéed meat, as her stomach rumbled again.

Smiling Theresa picked up her chopsticks, "Itadakimasu!" Immediately the four of them fell silent at the table as they began to eat. Yachiru was putting away more food than she could possibly weigh, while Kenny was eating until he was full. Ichigo had eaten until he was content, and turned his attention to the entertainment around him. Theresa was polishing the last of her plate off, and joined Kurosaki in the sport of watching Yachiru eat.

Soon enough Ichigo handed over a large dent in his captain's salary over to the restaurant's owner, and followed the larger captain, and foreigner, out the door.


	8. Being Welcomed into the Eleventh

Being Welcomed into the Eleventh

Theresa was surprised at how quiet Axel was when the large doors marked eleven slowly came into focus in front of them. Before opening the doors Kenpachi and Ichigo made sure that Theresa was safely hidden between the two feared captains, just in case some of the men decided to become frisky, though Kenny thought that she could easily handle herself. Yachiru then threw open the doors, and the two captains escorted the foreigner into Kenpachi's quarters. Well, they would have made it to the quarters if Yumichika and Ikkaku hadn't walked up to inform their captain about how the newbies were getting along with their training and possible assignments for them.

Yumichika seeing Theresa immediately asked, **"Who is this beautiful woman captain? She almost makes me jealous."** Ikkaku was blunter in addressing his captain.

Theresa bowed, and guessing that they had asked who she was, replied, "Watashi wa Howl Theresa desu."

Ichigo then cut in before Yumichika and Ikkaku could ask anything else, **"She's an American, and speaks very little Japanese."**

Ikkaku looked at his captain asked the one question that was on the forefront of his mind, **"Then why is she here, and why are you here too Captain Kurosaki?"**

Zaraki answered him, **"I brought her here because she kicks like a horse, and can take down more hollows than me in three minutes. He's here because he knows American. Oh, and Old man Yama says since I brought her here she has to stay with the squad until he can get answers straight from the horse's mouth."**

Ikkaku looked the six foot tall Theresa down, though they're the same height, and asked, **"She can fight? I'll have to see it to believe it."**

Ichigo translated for Theresa, who responded, "You think you're so great Baldy, I'll take yer bet. If I win, you get to buy me some clothes since I'll be stuck here for awhile, and if you win I'll take your most brutal training until I can beat you." Ichigo related the message to Ikkaku whose face split into a manic grin.

"**I'll take that wager, but you have to call me Lord Madarame during the training."** Kenny was sitting back, and curious followed the two out to the training yard where seeing the girl many of the men began increasingly rude catcalls.

Ichigo leaned over to the other captain and asked, **"Are you sure that she'll be able to handle this?"**

"**If she can't, she won't be joining this squad."** Kenny said, leaning back.

Yachiru jumped on lap and said in a sage-like voice,** "She's been holding back the entire time. She only releases enough spiritual pressure to meet those around her, but she's not trying."**

Ikkaku stood at the other end of the circle made by the squad members and drew Hozukimaru, sword in his right hand sheathe in the opposite. Theresa knowing the stance, and that he uses an attack pattern to get the opponent into a groove before changing it around to corner his enemy, drew Axel feeling his sheathe melt into the chain across her chest. "_This is gonna be tough, Theresa. He has more experience than you do, but you do know his attack style, which is all that you have on your side without releasing me."_

"I know that Axel, but I also have the moves of every swordsman in Kingdom Hearts." Theresa thought to her sword before settling into Sephiroth's shiken stance. Ikkaku looked at the wide-open stance before laughing, and charged forward to attack. Theresa stood still waiting for him to enter her range before using her wrist to send the tip of her blade flying into Ikkaku's sword. He went to knock her sword out of her hand but found himself missing as she brought the sword diagonally up in front of her hands crossing on the hilt, before swinging her sword at the wide-open Ikkaku.

Kenpachi noticed how she gave a calm appearance, but could sense how nervous she was. Her swings were short and choppy, but he attributed that to how inexperienced she seemed and that her zanpaku-to was an odachi. Secretly, he was hoping that she would perform that one attack that had killed so many of the hollows in the living world.

He countered by blocking her sword by putting his hilt and sheathe together calling out, **"Extend Hozukimaru!"**

Theresa looked at the bladed sansetsukon, which she leaned backwards to dodge the sudden stab where her shoulder was a second ago, before activating her shikai calling out, "Dance in a flurry of flames, Axel!" Dismissing the fire that encircled the chakrams she held the left one up to her throat and the other limply at her side, daring Ikkaku to attack her.

Ikkaku complied by stabbing his spear forward again fast enough for Theresa to shunpo in order to dodge, but the rim of one of her chakrams was caught on the head. His grin grew as he pulled his spear back, and Theresa turned to prepare herself against his pull.

"_Quick, focus on pulling with all your might!"_ Axel shouted at Theresa, her grip slipping. Theresa could only wince and comply with her sword, and never noticed the explosion of spiritual pressure she had let loose.

Kenny, Ichigo, and Yachiru instantaneously turned their attention to the amount of energy Theresa had just unleashed, which was equal to or above captain level. Even more amazed they watched Theresa successfully pull Hozukimaru out of one of Ikkaku's hands. **"Break apart!"** Ikkaku commanded his spear as it split into three parts. She responded by having her chakram spin, before pulling Hozukimaru out of Ikkaku's grip with a twirl. Carelessly, Hozukimaru was thrown over the heads of bystanders, while Theresa entered a shunpo heading straight for the startled third seat. Ikkaku felt an immense pain explode from his stomach, as if Kenpachi himself had kicked him, before he crashed into a wall.

Theresa looked at the damage done to the wall, which was about to fall over, and stabbed Axel into the wall one spike three centimeters away from Ikkaku's jugular. Leaning next to Ikkaku's ear she said, "I win this round, and you owe me some clothes."

"_Good job, Theresa. You'd definitely make it in the Organization."_

Theresa pulled Axel out of the wall, grinning at his approval, and sheathed him before walking back to the captains. Kenpachi grunted before getting up to lead her to her room. Ichigo smiled before saying, "We your room go." Theresa nodded before following the captains, while Yumichika took Ikkaku to the forth division.


	9. Learning to Communicate

Learning to Communicate

Ichigo had left to take care of his squad, leaving Kenpachi and Yachiru with Theresa, and neither could speak with each other. Ichigo had at least taken the precaution to tell Theresa that she had to remain with either him or Zaraki.

This leads us to Theresa's current predicament, where after picking grass out of her hair for the last hour as Kenny oversaw a random squad member do his paperwork, she was trying to ask Kenpachi for shampoo, conditioner, a brush, and nightclothes. Grabbing a randomly placed pen and paper she began to create little picture puzzles.

Kenny idly noticed her drawing on a piece of paper, and Yachiru started watching intently wondering what she was doing. Theresa finished her first puzzle, a bottle of shampoo, and a person washing their hair. **"Kenny, I think Flame-head is trying to ask for something."** Yachiru said after Theresa held up the piece of paper.

He turned his attention away from the cup of sake he was drinking and looked at the paper, **"How the hell am I supposed to understand random pictures?"**

"_I believe that they don't understand what you're trying to say."_ Axel commented sarcastically. Theresa mentally sighed at her zanpaku-to, before running a hand through her hair.

Grimacing she pulled out another blade of grass, which then gave Yachiru the clue she needed, **"Kenny, she wants shampoo to wash her hair with."**

"**Why the hell would she need that? She's not that dirty."** Kenny replied, returning to his sake.

"**But she just pulled a blade of grass from her hair! Every time I get grass in my hair you tell me to wash it."** Yachiru commented beginning to think Kenny made her take all those baths for nothing.

"**Fine, get Yumichika to give her some of his."** Kenny was obviously getting tired of Theresa as he finished the bottle of sake. Theresa listening to their conversation took up her pen and paper again this time drawing a hairbrush and a person brushing their hair.

"**Flame-head also says she needs a hair brush!"** Yachiru yelled excited that she was getting used to the pictorial conversation.

"**Have Yumichika get it!"** Kenny was really getting annoyed now, and asked himself, **"Why did I pick her up again?"** Theresa then drew her last group of pictures, but seeing that there is not a picture for nightclothes, she improvised.

Yachiru looked at the picture of the moon and stars then skipped over the plus sign to what appeared to be clothes. She was confused, and did what she always did when she became confused, ask Kenny. **"Kenny, I don't understand this one."**

"**What now?"** Kenny asked exasperated before aptly stopping and staring at what Theresa was asking for. She wanted nightclothes, and she wasn't exactly the size of a normal Japanese woman. In fact the only people in the Seireitei that could fit her were Ichigo, Komamura, maybe Ikkaku, Renji, Byakuya, that Lieutenant of the Fourth, and himself, of course. Yumichika definitely wouldn't have any magical solutions for this one, and he would have to come up with something. **"Take her to see Yumichika, and don't worry about the last one."**

Yachiru smiled brightly, and before leaving with Theresa in tow, said, **"Okay, Kenny! C'mon Flame-head, let's go see Yun-Yun!"** Kenny sighed rubbing his face with his hand before taking another swig of sake this time right out of the jar.

Luckily for both Theresa and Yachiru, Yumichika had returned to his quarters by the time Yachiru had drug Theresa there. Yachiru like always did not bother with knocking, but rather threw Theresa through the paper door headfirst. Poor Yumichika who had been drinking tea on his couch at that moment was thrown backwards as his couch tipped because of a red torpedo that exploded through the door. Theresa was the first of the two victims to respond, "Ow! Kusajishi-fukutaicho!"

She slowly stood upright as Yumichika asked bluntly, **"Lieutenant Kusajishi, why are you throwing people through my front door?"**

"**Flame-head needs the stuff to wash her hair with, and a brush."** Yachiru replied with a smile standing on the over turned couch.

Yumichika then realized that the red torpedo was the foreigner entrusted to his squad, and then realized what Yachiru was asking of him. **"Why would you bring her to me?"**

Yachiru jumped onto his coffee table as Theresa helped him flip his couch back up, answering, **"Kenny told me that you'd take care of it."**

Yumichika sighed, **"Fine, but you need to inform the captain that I will have to take her shopping for clothes like Ikkaku originally said he would do."**

Later as Theresa lay in the bed Zaraki had said was hers while she was in Squad Eleven, and concluded that her Pictionary excursions were a successful tool of communication when not with Ichigo. Her results were of course a warm shower with a flower scented hair product, a wonderful brush that tamed her hair when wet, and a ridiculously oversized shirt to sleep in. Snuggling into the large warm bed, Theresa decided to ignore the sound of drunken soul reapers outside, and enjoy sleeping. Little did she know that lady luck was not smiling upon her, and very soon, her peace would end.


End file.
